It was a Pape Habib Gueye day at Pittodrie
Aberdeen made it eight straight wins this season thanks to Pape Habib Gueye's headed double against a disappointing Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership.
Derek McInnes' visitors have now won just one of their nine games, sit bottom of the table without a point and looked a tired outfit after Thursday's Conference League play-off defeat in Copenhagen.
The Kilmarnock manager was left angry by Matthew MacDermid's decision to upgrade captain Brad Lyons' yellow card to red following VAR advice, but the Dons were already in firm control before the midfielder's dangerous tackle on Ester Sokler.
It was no surprise when Gueye rose to head powerfully past goalkeeper Kieran O'Hara after 23 minutes.
Gueye and strike partner Ester Sokler had already come close to finishing off dangerous crosses delivered into the visiting six-yard box before the Senegalese rose above his marker to power home Graeme Shinnie's fine delivery.
Within nine minutes of the break, just when Kilmarnock looked to have responded to a likely McInnes ear-bashing at half-time, their hopes of a comeback were dented again by Lyons' dismissal.
Their chances were all but ended when Gueye rose again to flick in a Jamie McGrath header 11 minutes later.
The hosts had already strolled to another win as they continue Thelin's impressive start to his tenure at Pittodrie before Gueye was given a standing ovation while being replaced with Kevin Nisbet, the Scotland striker who arrived on loan from Millwall on Saturday.
Gueye lays down gauntlet to Nisbet
Thelin thought that Kilmarnock's Conference League experiences would mean they would arrive at Pittodrie "in the rhythm".
However, it was the home side who were quickly dancing into the visiting penalty box.
With Nisbet starting on the bench, it was another summer signing, Finnish winger Topi Keskinen, who was the early tormentor of the visiting defence in his first Aberdeen start.
Thelin will be hoping the Scotland striker will make a similar impact after being brought to the club to replace Bojan Miovski after the Macedonia international's big-money sale to Girona.
However, Gueye is obviously in no mood to play second fiddle after returning from his own loan spell with Kristiansund as they won promotion from Norway's second tier - and his physique proved a constant threat to a normally sturdy Kilmarnock defence.
No psychological lift for visitors
Former Dons manager McInnes had pondered asking for the match to be postponed to help his side prepare for Thursday's second leg against the Danes.
He decided it was "pointless" following soundings from the Scottish Professional Football League and was left wishing they were as amenable to such requests as some other countries around Europe.
McInnes admitted to BBC Scotland before kick-off that he had to lift his side "psychologically" after the concession of two late goals in Denmark.
However, he made only two changes to his starting line-up, both forced, with captain Kyle Vassell having picked up a knock and centre-half Joe Wright being suspended.
The Kilmarnock manager made another change after just 30 minutes, taking off young midfielder David Watson and throwing on striker Bruce Anderson.
Whether through injury or design, it did little to stem the tide of home attacks and the game looked to be lost long before Lyons' red card.
Not for the first time, Kilmarnock looked all grunt and grind with little attacking threat - something they must rediscover quickly if they are to overcome the two-goal deficit against Copenhagen in Thursday's second leg at Rugby Park.
What they said
'VAR shouldn't intervene' with Lyons' challenge - McInnes
Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin: "I am very happy. It is another great atmosphere today and how the players are fighting for each other.
"But it just three games in the league. It is a long journey in front of us and we need to just stay focused and prepare for the next game"
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "I thought Aberdeen were better than us for the opening 20-25 minutes. In hindsight, I thought we were better when we went with a front two.
"We have lost the game to two free headers, which is not like us. The game's changes again when we are down to 10 men and it is about plugging holes. I don't think it is a red card. I think it is a yellow card."
